1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates pressing devices and more particularly to a novel press for use in the preparation of dental amalgam fillings utilizing a quantity of mercury so that the processing is safe and non-contaminating to personnel.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the dental industry, it is common to use mercury in the formation of amalgam fillings, referred to as "silver fillings". Over two pounds of mercury are used every year in the average dental office for such preparation. In the preparation, mercury vapor levels often become elevated due to poor storage, leaking containers, open mixers, accidental spillage and poor ventilation. Chronic occupational exposure by dental personnel to such released mercury vapors often leads to mercury poisoning, sickness and poor performance.
In some instances, attempts have been made to control released mercury vapors by employing fans and vacuum systems so that the air is filtered around the mercury usage areas. The storage and handling of mercury is still unsatisfactory in such a filtering environment, in that it is frequently handled in a piece of cloth between the finger and thumb of the dental assistants when preparing the amalgam mixture preparatory for condensing into the amalgam carrier and tooth of the dental patient. In most instances, the silver amalgam and mercury are obtained in premeasured capsules for mixing. The size of the filling and the number of fillings to be done at one time determine the quantity of mercury necessary in a given mixture. This oftentimes necessitates handling the amalgam mixture to express extra mercury from the mixture for the fillings.
Therefore, a widespread need has existed in the dental industry to provide a means for handling the amalgam mixture while expressing the excess mercury from the dental amalgam. Preferably, the means should take the form of a tool such as a press which would store mercury immediately upon expression from the amalgam, and also prevent release of the mercury into the surrounding environment through vapor released into the air or by physical contact in handling the amalgam mixture.